Celebrity and Princess

[dinosaurdem]

We sail both Celebrity and Princess, and are booked on Celebrity TA for fifteen days in December and on Princess in Asia for 32 days in April and May. I read CC boards for both. When comparisons are made Princess fans seem almost angry at Celebrity and are often quite negative, even when they have never sailed Celebrity. Celebrity fans more often say that they prefer Celebrity, but also like Princess. Have you noticed this, and, if so, What's it all about?

[rebeccalouiseagain]

My post was deleted. I must have broken a rule.

 

this is from this website under "guidelines"- to give you some possible reasons...

 

"We recognize that while we have tons of great stuff in this forum, people sometimes post messages on the boards that could be misleading, deceptive, or downright wrong. They may do this unintentionally or, sad to say, intentionally. Additionally, there are many different groups who participate, such as travel agents, public relations employees, members of the media, affinity groups, fan groups, other cruise websites etc. whose agenda may not be apparent since we are operating in an anonymous environment."

[Winterpeg007]

Not sure about comparisons on this thread. WE are scheduled to Bermuda, Aug 26th on the Summit and we have previously sailed with Princess to Alaska.

I will do a detailed review/comparison when we return.

Not sure where to post the review but most likely on the Summit reviews.

Happy Sailings::)

[NancyIL]

Actually - I have noticed that about the negative HAL fans who have sailed on Celebrity. It certainly hasn't made me anxious to sail again on HAL!

[Putterdude]

I am Elite with Princess and do post a fair amount on that forum. Once you get by a dozen or so of the cheerleaders I think the balance of pro/con is fairly equal. We have enjoyed Princess and will continue to do so but I do see us spending more time with Celebrity. IMHO the most negative posters to down right arrogant about other lines are the HAL types...but when cruising with HAL you are indoctrinated at least 4 times a day about how wonderful HAL is and people actually wind up believeing it.

[Twice_a_year]

Enjoyed both and would have no problem sailing again on either.

 

I personally have a favorite in Celebrity because of their Elite perks. I am also "Elite" with Princess.

[NancyIL]

I am Elite with Princess and do post a fair amount on that forum. Once you get by a dozen or so of the cheerleaders I think the balance of pro/con is fairly equal. We have enjoyed Princess and will continue to do so but I do see us spending more time with Celebrity. IMHO the most negative posters to down right arrogant about other lines are the HAL types...but when cruising with HAL you are indoctrinated at least 4 times a day about how wonderful HAL is and people actually wind up believeing it.

 

I agree about HAL - as well as diehard Disney Cruise Line fans. Funny - I just got an e-mail from HAL about "Mariner Private Sale: Special Fares for Past Guests from $399‏"!

[Denny01]

We sail both Celebrity and Princess, and are booked on Celebrity TA for fifteen days in December and on Princess in Asia for 32 days in April and May. I read CC boards for both. When comparisons are made Princess fans seem almost angry at Celebrity and are often quite negative, even when they have never sailed Celebrity. Celebrity fans more often say that they prefer Celebrity, but also like Princess. Have you noticed this, and, if so, What's it all about?

 

Yes, have seen that. I'm one of the 'Celebrity-preferred' cruisers. When we start looking, we go to Celebrity and if they dont have the itinerary, we take a look at Princess. Made 13 Celebrity and 3 Princess, along with a few on Carnival, RCL, Cruse West and NCL. Never a bad cruise, and I find Princess and Celebrity to be close as to overall service and general tone.

 

I wont go into the 'plus/minus' since that isn't what this thread is about...and we do have a 'few' comparison threads dont we.....but I agree, accepting there are always outliers, the Celebrity forum seems to handle Princess pretty evenhandedly while Princess seems to go more negative on Celebrity. I've read some of the Princess 'comparison' threads but have quit posting on them because I don't think it is very productive. If you mention a Princess issue, there are a ton of Princess posters with the 'yes, but....', which usually has nothing to do with the issue mentioned. Just life in 'communities' we enjoy.

 

My personal is, except for those cruisers who don't look to a Line as a factor and see the ship as a port-conveyor, early on each of us usually find a Line that meets what we are looking for, so we cruise with them more and find more postive feedback each cruise and therefore end of preferring that Line, and start to knitpick a bit another, while overlooking some of the negatives of 'our Line'.

 

Example: On our last two S-Class cruises, I've noticed Celebrity using the main Foyer as a place for the bands and other entertainment, and it adversely impacts the quiet areas we enjoy such as the card room and other places open to the foyer that goes all the way to the top decks. If that had been my first Celebrity cruise, I may have had an issue and looked to another Line I'd prefer.....but I enjoy so many other Celebrity positives, we still are 'Celebrity cruisers'.

 

....not cheerleaders by the way, because that infers ignoring issues and overemphazing issues with other Lines, and getting defensive and even nasty.

 

Never a bad cruise yet.....some a lot better than others, but that's life, and aren't we all so very lucky to be enjoying it!

 

Den

[Bridge Maven]

It depends upon the poster. There are a group of Celebrity cheerleaders who get upset even if someone says that another cruise line is equal to Celebrity. I have a theory about why they are like that, but prefer not to verbalize it on this board.

[Denny01]

It depends upon the poster. There are a group of Celebrity cheerleaders who get upset even if someone says that another cruise line is equal to Celebrity. I have a theory about why they are like that, but prefer not to verbalize it on this board.

 

I'd love to read your comments.....may need to exchange emails. I bet your comments are pretty interesting having seen so many of your posts that are right on....

 

(I guess that makes me a Bridge Maven Cheerleader and not some Line's Cheerleader???)

 

Den

[junglejane]

We like both Princess and Celebrity and have upcoming cruises booked on each: Christmas on the Sapphire Princess and Spring Break on the Celebrity Silhouette. We really liked the Equinox and probably have a preference for Celebrity S-class ships right now. I've read and posted on both forums for years now and have probably read dozens of Princess vs. Celebrity comparison threads. But I can't agree with the OP's premise that the Princess forum is more hostile to Celebrity than vice versa. There have been times, in fact, when I thought the opposite.

 

I think that each forum has its share of cheerleaders and that the tone of any individual thread can be affected by how aggresive the cheerleaders get. But once you get past the cheerleaders I think that the vast majority of posters on both forums share their opinions politely. And there are a large number of crossover cruisers like me who will happily cruise either one.

[dinosaurdem]

Maybe I spoke too soon in saying that Celebrity lovers are more moderate in critiquing other lines. The discussion of HAL is a little rough, although not as goofy as the contaminated water comment.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Yeah- there is no reason to say such harsh things about either HAL or Princess I've sailed on all three in the past year and they were fine. You wouldn't have a bad time on any of them.

[NancyIL]

Maybe I spoke too soon in saying that Celebrity lovers are more moderate in critiquing other lines. The discussion of HAL is a little rough, although not as goofy as the contaminated water comment.

 

Contaminated water comment?

[dinosaurdem]

Contaminated water comment?

 

Bottom of page 3 on the HAL v. Celebrity thread.

[OCruisers]

We like both Princess and Celebrity .... And there are a large number of crossover cruisers like me who will happily cruise either one.

 

Agree! We are also crossover cruisers. While Princess is the best fit for us in many ways, we also LOVE cruising on Celebrity. :)

[Denny01]

Maybe I spoke too soon in saying that Celebrity lovers are more moderate in critiquing other lines. The discussion of HAL is a little rough, although not as goofy as the contaminated water comment.

 

Yeah- there is no reason to say such harsh things about either HAL or Princess I've sailed on all three in the past year and they were fine. You wouldn't have a bad time on any of them.

 

I hope you realized my "Biased??" post on the HAL thread was a tongue-in-cheek fun post trying to lighten up one of these "Line vs Line" threads. Sometimes my humor gets a bit too edgy and missies the point. I have never cruised HAL and may try it some day...I've never had a bad cruise and enjoy variety.....but when I pay a goodly amount for a cruise, a flight to it and a hotel stay, I pick the Line Im the most comfortable with.

 

Hope we all enjoy our cruising on whatever Line we pick, including me when I try one those 'inferior Lines'.....oops, there I go again!

 

Den

[dinosaurdem]

I hope you realized my "Biased??" post on the HAL thread was a tongue-in-cheek fun post trying to lighten up one of these "Line vs Line" threads. Sometimes my humor gets a bit too edgy and missies the point. I have never cruised HAL and may try it some day...I've never had a bad cruise and enjoy variety.....but when I pay a goodly amount for a cruise, a flight to it and a hotel stay, I pick the Line Im the most comfortable with.

 

Hope we all enjoy our cruising on whatever Line we pick, including me when I try one those 'inferior Lines'.....oops, there I go again!

 

Den

 

Sorry Denny I didn't look at the context and was trying to be fair. I should have read more from the lady who is an expert on psychology and public health issues.

[bighairtexan]

Princess and Celebrity are my favorite lines, with Celebrity getting the slight edge. I've, however, found the Princess posters to be slightly less hostile than the Celebrity posters. But just like the 2 cruise lines... I find the posters to be more similar than different.

[dmwnc1959]

I agree about HAL - as well as diehard Disney Cruise Line fans. Funny - I just got an e-mail from HAL about "Mariner Private Sale: Special Fares for Past Guests from $399‏"!

 

Got the same $399 email from HAL as well as one back in June from Princess with Alaska cruises for $299. Two-hundred and ninety-nine dollars!

 

As previously mentioned once you get past the bitter die hard cheerleaders it all comes down to a personal taste and personal preference, or whatever fits your need for that particular vacation. I looked at a bunch for this Nov/Dec and narrowed it down to three ships; Norwegian Epic, Carnival Breeze, and Zaandam. The winner? Allure of the Seas which wasn't even on my radar.

 

I do wish that Celebrity would bring their fleet back to southern Florida pre-Thanksgiving. Seems like they are getting back this year later than before. :(